Farmers block traffic over shortage of gunny bags
Kapurthala, May 1
Tall claims of officials to procure wheat within 72 hours of its arrival in mandis proved to be hollow. Arthiyas and farmers blocked traffic on Sultanpur Lodhi road near New Grain Market here today reportedly due to shortage of gunny bags used for procuring wheat.

Farmers ‘awarded’ Rs
90 as compensation for losses
Kapurthala, May 1
Six farmers of Mand Sardar Sahib Wala village in Bholath sub-division have reportedly received cheques of amount ranging from Rs 27 to 90 as compensation for losses suffered by the farmers during last year’s flooding of River Beas. The farmers have returned the cheques by post to CM Parkash Singh Badal.

Jalandhar, May 1
Hoshiarpur Deputy Commissioner ordered a re-inquiry into a case of bonded labour after a complaint was lodged by Pendu Mazdoor Union.

The couple, Shankar and Sahni, were rescued by Garhshankar tehsildar Bhupinder Singh and the members of the union some days ago from a farm at Nangal Chaura village.

While compensation had been given to the couple by farm owner Ujagar Singh, the union believed it was too little, given the amount of work they do and the place they were kept in.

The member of the union, who had been a part of the team which rescued the couple, alleged that the tehsildar’s report did not take into consideration the fact that the couple were made to work as bonded labourers.

They said the amount of Rs 35,000 as compensation for the couple, was much lesser than the amount mandated as per the norms of the Minimum Wages Act, for putting in five years of labour.

Speaking on the issue, Kashmir Singh Ghugshore, union member, said, “The tehsildar recorded the couple’s statement in the presence of their employer. Due to which the two couldn’t speak openly.”

“They worked for years at the farm. They should have got lakhs as compensation but they got only Rs 35,000. In our complaint, we have demanded for an independent enquiry into the case. The couple should get their due compensation,” Ghugshore added.

Talking to The Tribune, Hoshiarpur DC, Deepinder Singh, said, “I had received a complaint by the Pendu Mazdoor Union, wherein they asked for a re-enquiry into the incident. They wanted the couple’s statements to be recorded again since they believe the tehsildar’s role was biased. I have ordered a re-enquiry into the incident. The SDM will look into the matter.”

From Jharkhand, the ST couple Shankar and Sahni Munda had been working at the said farm for the past five years. They told The Tribune that they were not allowed to go home whenever they asked for a holiday. They received an initial Rs 3,000 as an advance. After that they never received any wages, they said adding that they were treated well.

Kapurthala, May 1
Tall claims of officials to procure wheat within 72 hours of its arrival in mandis proved to be hollow. Arthiyas and farmers blocked traffic on Sultanpur Lodhi road near New Grain Market here today reportedly due to shortage of gunny bags used for procuring wheat.

Long queues of vehicles were seen on both the sides of the road due to the traffic jam. Talking to The Tribune, a representative of Arthiya Association Kapurthala, Amarjit Singh Thapai said there were acute shortages of gunny bags in two mandis of the city, located at New Grain Market and Additional Yard near JJ Farm, for last three days.

“The shortage of gunny bags was not rectified despite repeated requests. Following which the Arthiyas boycotted the mandis today morning,” he said.

Thapai said, “While several heaps of wheat is lying in the mandis for procurement, nearly two lakh sacks of procured wheat is also left there due to slow pace of lifting.”

On the contrary, DC Alaknanda Dayal said there was only negligible shortage of gunny bags that too with a one procurement agency.

Alaknanda Dayal also said the president of farmers union told her that the procurement had been boycotted by some of the arthiyas after its declaration by the president of Arthiya Association.

“The chief of the farmers union is going to submit a written complaint to me in this regard and appropriate action will be taken against the president of Arthiya Association on the basis of the complaint,” she added.

Kapurthala, May 1
Six farmers of Mand Sardar Sahib Wala village in Bholath sub-division have reportedly received cheques of amount ranging from Rs 27 to 90 as compensation for losses suffered by the farmers during last year’s flooding of River Beas. The farmers have returned the cheques by post to CM Parkash Singh Badal.

Former Congress MLA from Bholath, Sukhpal Khaira, has flayed Parkash Singh Badal led SAD-BJP government for the delay and meager compensation given to the farmers of Bholath for 100 per cent damage of their paddy crop.

Demanding adequate compensation, Khaira said, “Such meager and belated compensation is not only a cruel joke played on the farmers of Punjab but also speaks volumes of the indifferent, callous and casual attitude of the government machinery to the woes of hard-hit farmers.”

Khaira said, “As we are aware, the farmers in the catchments area of River Beas faced the wrath of flooding waters last year. The flooding went on unabated for more than 15 days as a result more than 25,000 acres of paddy crop was fully damaged, besides causing damage to livestock and farm machinery in Kapurthala district. The losses of small and marginal farmers ran from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakhs.”

“Unfortunately, the government has offered compensation of less than Rs 100 to the affected farmers. This is only a tip of the iceberg as most of the farmers have been given paltry compensation, whereas the losses were alarming,” he added.

Urging the CM to immediately take stock of the matter, Khaira wants Cm to order an inquiry to ascertain who was responsible for this insult perpetrated on the farmers and to take corrective measures by giving the farmers full compensation.